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<title>It's what's on the inside that counts, right? by NotHereNJ (efficaceous)</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23812396">It's what's on the inside that counts, right?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/efficaceous/pseuds/NotHereNJ'>NotHereNJ (efficaceous)</a></h1>

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<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shameless (US)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Drabble, Fluff, M/M, Soft Mickey Milkovich</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 15:01:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>291</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23812396</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/efficaceous/pseuds/NotHereNJ</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ian Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>It's what's on the inside that counts, right?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The thing to know about Mickey Milkovich, is that what he says is rarely what he means.</p><p>For example, when Mickey says "Say that again and I'll rip your fuckin' tongue out of your mouth;" what he wants to say is 'Yes, me too. I love you so much I don't know what else to do when I'm not looking at you.'</p><p>But growing up with Terry, in Terry's house, he learned that it was better not to speak, or hit back with your words, or best of all, go on the offensive, both literally and figuratively. </p><p>And when he says “Fuck you, I suck his dick! I fucking love it!” to his father, what he's really saying is 'Ian, I love you. I choose you. Over my family, over my name, over my reputation, over my son, over everything in this world, I choose you. You are the only thing that makes me wake up and knowing you exist lets me sleep at night. When you are not here, I am just waiting for you to be near me again so I can be alive.'</p><p>"You’re such a fucking dick.“ That one means 'I did this for you, please be worth it. Please don't leave me, or stop loving me, because I am only worthy of love when I see it in your eyes.'</p><p>"A'right man, go fuck yourself, sleep all day, see if I care!" what he means is "You're worrying me and I cannot take worrying about you right now, when I just made myself vulnerable for you. My heart is too small and fragile."</p><p>Somehow, it seems like Ian has a 6th sense: he never listens to what Mickey says, but he always hears what he means.</p>
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